Steve Alexander

The Daily Dose

Dose: Lakers Fall At Denver

Paul Pierce had 26 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and three 3-pointers on 10-of-20 shooting and scored seven straight points in overtime to lead the Celtics over the Jazz on Monday. Kevin Garnett was back in action with 13 points, 10 boards, a steal and a block, and all five starters scored in double figures for the Celtics. Avery Bradley was 8-of-12 with two 3-pointers for 18 points, five boards, four assists and two steals, while Courtney Lee added 14 points, five boards, three assists and a 3-pointer in the start. Jason Terry added 14 points and four 3-pointers in 23 minutes off the bench, while Jordan Crawford played less than five minutes and scored two points. Bradley, Lee and Terry are all worth a look, but are also all a roll of the dice from night to night. Jeff Green was chilly for the second straight game after his 31 points and five blocks on Friday. He was 3-of-10 for six points and not much else, but did play 28 minutes. I still think he’s a must-own player and is going to be a stud the rest of the way. With the Celtics only having two games this week, chances are he was on fantasy benches anyway.

Gordon Hayward got hot and went off for 26 points, two boards, three assists, a steal, a block and four 3-pointers on 7-of-16 shooting, and is back in must-start territory. He’s scored 17, 23 and 26 points in his three games since returning from his shoulder injury, so make sure he’s not available in your league. Alec Burks played a season-high 33 minutes, and while he had just eight points, he also had five boards and three assists, and helped limit Randy Foye to just 17 minutes and six points. Al Jefferson double-doubled with 15 points, 11 boards, a steal and a block, while Paul Millsap played through a sprained ankle and had 16 points, six boards, five assists, a steal and two blocks in the OT loss. Marvin Williams somehow had 15 points and two 3-pointers, but you can’t trust him with Hayward and Burks coming on. Earl Watson made some news by starting over Jamaal Tinsley (DNP-CD) at point guard on Monday, but had just two points, two assists and four turnovers. This team needs Mo Williams (thumb), badly. Derrick Favors had seven points, six boards and zero blocks off the bench, and played just 19 minutes, mostly due to foul trouble. The trade deadline has passed, and no matter how hard you wish for it, Favors, Jefferson and Millsap are not being traded, fans.

News and Notes

Knicks point guard Raymond Felton’s right heel injury doesn’t look serious and he’s expected to play on Wednesday against the Warriors. Carmelo Anthony avoided a suspension for his flagrant foul on Spencer Hawes Sunday, meaning he’s good to go for his three games his week.

Lamar Odom says he’s finally in shape after last year’s fiasco in Dallas and a slow start for the Clippers this season. He had 18 points, six boards and a steal in his last game and should officially be on your fantasy radar going forward.

Kevin Love is hoping to play in the last 15-20 games of the season for Minnesota after missing time with a broken hand, which could put him back in action sometime between March 15 and March 24. And if that happens, the Wolves’ fantasy playoff schedule is pretty sweet to end the year, as they go 4-4-4-4-4-4-2 to finish out the season. Love wasn’t great the last time we saw him playing, but if he was dropped in your league and you think he could help your team during H2H playoffs, it’s time to pick him up.

Tony Parker is hoping to play on Wednesday after taking a break for the Spurs on Sunday. I’d be shocked if he’s not in the lineup then, while the fact the Spurs only have three games this week and no back-to-backs is good news for everyone involved.

The Nets’ Joe Johnson didn’t sound optimistic about his foot injury, saying it’s not plantar fasciitis, but that his heel is “badly bruised.” He’s iffy for Tuesday’s game, but my guess is he’ll sit out, as the Nets came out and said recently they’ll have no problem benching JJ and Deron Williams for rest between now and the playoffs. C.J. Watson’s still not a must-own player (yet), but I’d be happy to have him in my lineup tonight if Johnson is out. Williams practiced with a compression sleeve on his calf on Monday and is expected to start on Tuesday night.

Kirk Hinrich’s elbow issue is not getting better quickly, leaving him iffy for the whole week. And as long as that’s the case, Nate Robinson is a must-own fantasy player.

Al Harrington could debut on Tuesday for the Magic after missing the season with a knee injury. I doubt he’ll make a huge impact, but could steal a few of Andrew Nicholson’s minutes going forward. Jameer Nelson didn’t travel with the Magic for tonight’s game in Philadelphia, and could miss the whole week with his bruised left knee. E’Twaun Moore and Beno Udrih will pick up his minutes and production for as long as he’s out.

Bulls reserve big man Taj Gibson was diagnosed with a sprained MCL in his left knee and is expected to miss two weeks with the injury. If you own Joakim Noah or Carlos Boozer, this should mean good things for them going forward.

Lakers fall at Denver

The Nuggets beat the Lakers 119-108 on Monday to win their ninth straight game at home and snapped the Lakers’ four-game winning streak in the process, taking the season series 3-1. Danilo Gallinari, who was expected to play, was a late scratch with his lingering thigh bruise. Wilson Chandler came through with 23 points and three 3-pointers on 10-of-18 shooting in a start in Gallo’s place. Like I mentioned, Gallo was a very late scratch, so it would be surprising to see him miss Wednesday’s game at Portland. Ty Lawson stayed hot with 22 points and eight dimes, and has scored at least 20 in seven straight games, and Andre Iguodala had his seventh double-double of the season, and second straight, with 14 points and 12 assists on 6-of-9 shooting, which his owners were psyched about seeing. Kenneth Faried also double-doubled with 12 points, 10 boards, three steals and two blocks, while Corey Brewer also helped make up for the absence of Gallinari with 16 points and a 3-pointer on 6-of-15 shooting. JaVale McGee paid off for owners who rolled the dice on him with seven points, seven boards and four blocks in 23 minutes.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 29 points, six boards and nine assists on 12-of-23 shooting, but missed his only 3-point attempt. He hit four of them on Sunday, but had made just two 3-pointers since Jan. 21 prior to that game. Steve Nash said after Sunday’s game, when he went off for 20 points, four assists, a steal and four 3-pointers, that he doesn’t “have much freedom” due to his lingering back injury. He also didn’t sound too worried about the problem, but it’s something worth keeping an eye on. Nash had 16 points, five assists and six turnovers on 6-of-8 shooting Monday, so his back is at least letting him play, and he finally looks like he’s meshing with Kobe and company. Dwight Howard had 15 points and 14 rebounds, but also missed 11 of his final 12 free throw attempts on the night, hitting 3-of-14 of them in the loss. Anyone (attention: Mike D'Antoni) who doesn't think Dwight's free throws aren't costing the Lakers big time is wearing blinders. Metta World Peace bounced back with 15 points, three steals and two 3-pointers, while Antawn Jamison had 14 points, three boards and three 3-pointers. This wasn’t Earl Clark’s night, as he hit 4-of-9 shots for eight points and just one rebound in the loss.

Atlanta routs Pistons in Detroit

Al Horford hit 10-of-13 shots for 23 points and tied a career high with 22 rebounds, and kicked in a couple steals, blocks and a rare 3-pointer in the easy win. Josh Smith added 23 points, seven boards, four assists, a steal, a block and a 3-pointer, while Jeff Teague stayed hot with 20 points, 12 assists, two steals and two 3-pointers. Kyle Korver started at small forward on Monday, sending Devin Harris to the bench, and hit five 3-pointers for 15 points in 32 minutes. He’s now gone 49 straight games with a 3-pointer. Harris, who scored 21 points in his last one, had 11 points in just 13 minutes, but has still managed to hit double digits in scoring in three straight. Zaza Pachulia was out with a sore Achilles. The Hawks, who were up by as many as 26 points in the third quarter, have won five out of their last six games with Monday’s 114-103 win. The Hawks’ schedule is nearly perfect the rest of the way, so owners of Horford, Smith and Teague should prepare to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Brandon Knight missed Monday’s game and could miss a few more with a knee injury, and Rodney Stuckey is the guy who will benefit the most. With Will Bynum serving a one-game suspension and Jose Calderon unable to throw it into the ocean last night, Stuckey hit 10-of-17 shots for 22 points, five rebounds and a steal on 10-of-17 shooting. Obviously, he’ll be real inconsistent once Bynum and Knight are back, but is a fine play for as long as Knight (who is day-to-day) is out. Calderon was 3-of-11 for seven points, five boards, nine assists and a 3-pointer, and should shoot it better on most nights. Jonas Jerebko came out of nowhere for a season-high 21 points, six rebounds, a steal and 3-pointer on 9-of-12 shooting in 24 minutes. Just keep an eye on him. It sounds like Andre Drummond could be ready to return in about two weeks from his back injury, but the Pistons’ playoff schedule isn’t great. They go 3-3-3-3-4-2-2 weekly to (weakly) end the season.

Wizards take down Raptors for third straight win

Bradley Beal hit 8-of-13 shots and two 3-pointers for 20 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal, and is clearly feeling it right now. And given the Wizards’ 3-4-4-4-4-3-2 finish, Beal’s owners have to be giddy. John Wall hit just 3-of-11 shots for 10 points, five boards and seven assists, and will bounce back. Emeka Okafor had eight points and 13 rebounds, but didn’t block a shot (again). I don’t know what the problem is, but Okafor has blocked a shot in just three of his 11 February games for five total, but has hit double digits in rebounds and points in six of those games. Martell Webster had 12 points and two 3-pointers to stay relevant, while Nene just missed a double-double with 11 points, nine boards and a block. Trevor Ariza has been a hot topic lately, but had just eight points and six boards on 3-of-9 shooting in 26 minutes. He’s going to be inconsistent coming off the bench behind Webster, but at least the minutes are there.

Amir Johnson started on Monday, moving Landry Fields (five minutes, zero points) to the bench, and had six points, 13 rebounds, a steal and three blocks in 37 minutes. DeMar DeRozan went off for 25 points, a steal and a block on 9-of-17 shooting, but as usual, didn’t hit a 3-pointer. Kyle Lowry was solid with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, two blocks and three 3-pointers on 6-of-17 shooting. He’s must-start the rest of the way. Rudy Gay hit just 1-of-11 shots and has now hit just 81-of-216 shots (37.5%) in the month of February. He can’t shoot it this poorly the rest of the way, so just keep rolling him out there and wait for the slump to end. Jonas Valanciunas had four points and three rebounds in just 18 minutes, and if I own him, I’m probably ready to let go after this one. Alan Anderson played 24 minutes, but missed all four of his shots for four points, three rebounds and four fouls. He could be better than this on most nights going forward, as the minutes are there, but his shot isn’t falling consistently.

Andrea Bargnani had eight points in 21 minutes on 4-of-11 shooting, but his elbow injury is still impacting his shot (he was 0-for-6 in his previous two games) and the boos he’s hearing from the crowd appear to be shaking what little confidence he had. “I can’t say I’m happy about it,” he said of the booing. He still has a chance to get things turned around this season, but if I owned him, I’d be scouring the wire for someone who can help my team right now. After a four-game week next week, the Raps go 3-3-3-4-3 to finish out the season.

Celtics outlast Jazz in OT in Utah

Paul Pierce had 26 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and three 3-pointers on 10-of-20 shooting and scored seven straight points in overtime to lead the Celtics over the Jazz on Monday. Kevin Garnett was back in action with 13 points, 10 boards, a steal and a block, and all five starters scored in double figures for the Celtics. Avery Bradley was 8-of-12 with two 3-pointers for 18 points, five boards, four assists and two steals, while Courtney Lee added 14 points, five boards, three assists and a 3-pointer in the start. Jason Terry added 14 points and four 3-pointers in 23 minutes off the bench, while Jordan Crawford played less than five minutes and scored two points. Bradley, Lee and Terry are all worth a look, but are also all a roll of the dice from night to night. Jeff Green was chilly for the second straight game after his 31 points and five blocks on Friday. He was 3-of-10 for six points and not much else, but did play 28 minutes. I still think he’s a must-own player and is going to be a stud the rest of the way. With the Celtics only having two games this week, chances are he was on fantasy benches anyway.

Gordon Hayward got hot and went off for 26 points, two boards, three assists, a steal, a block and four 3-pointers on 7-of-16 shooting, and is back in must-start territory. He’s scored 17, 23 and 26 points in his three games since returning from his shoulder injury, so make sure he’s not available in your league. Alec Burks played a season-high 33 minutes, and while he had just eight points, he also had five boards and three assists, and helped limit Randy Foye to just 17 minutes and six points. Al Jefferson double-doubled with 15 points, 11 boards, a steal and a block, while Paul Millsap played through a sprained ankle and had 16 points, six boards, five assists, a steal and two blocks in the OT loss. Marvin Williams somehow had 15 points and two 3-pointers, but you can’t trust him with Hayward and Burks coming on. Earl Watson made some news by starting over Jamaal Tinsley (DNP-CD) at point guard on Monday, but had just two points, two assists and four turnovers. This team needs Mo Williams (thumb), badly. Derrick Favors had seven points, six boards and zero blocks off the bench, and played just 19 minutes, mostly due to foul trouble. The trade deadline has passed, and no matter how hard you wish for it, Favors, Jefferson and Millsap are not being traded, fans.

News and Notes

Knicks point guard Raymond Felton’s right heel injury doesn’t look serious and he’s expected to play on Wednesday against the Warriors. Carmelo Anthony avoided a suspension for his flagrant foul on Spencer Hawes Sunday, meaning he’s good to go for his three games his week.

Lamar Odom says he’s finally in shape after last year’s fiasco in Dallas and a slow start for the Clippers this season. He had 18 points, six boards and a steal in his last game and should officially be on your fantasy radar going forward.

Kevin Love is hoping to play in the last 15-20 games of the season for Minnesota after missing time with a broken hand, which could put him back in action sometime between March 15 and March 24. And if that happens, the Wolves’ fantasy playoff schedule is pretty sweet to end the year, as they go 4-4-4-4-4-4-2 to finish out the season. Love wasn’t great the last time we saw him playing, but if he was dropped in your league and you think he could help your team during H2H playoffs, it’s time to pick him up.

Tony Parker is hoping to play on Wednesday after taking a break for the Spurs on Sunday. I’d be shocked if he’s not in the lineup then, while the fact the Spurs only have three games this week and no back-to-backs is good news for everyone involved.

The Nets’ Joe Johnson didn’t sound optimistic about his foot injury, saying it’s not plantar fasciitis, but that his heel is “badly bruised.” He’s iffy for Tuesday’s game, but my guess is he’ll sit out, as the Nets came out and said recently they’ll have no problem benching JJ and Deron Williams for rest between now and the playoffs. C.J. Watson’s still not a must-own player (yet), but I’d be happy to have him in my lineup tonight if Johnson is out. Williams practiced with a compression sleeve on his calf on Monday and is expected to start on Tuesday night.

Kirk Hinrich’s elbow issue is not getting better quickly, leaving him iffy for the whole week. And as long as that’s the case, Nate Robinson is a must-own fantasy player.

Al Harrington could debut on Tuesday for the Magic after missing the season with a knee injury. I doubt he’ll make a huge impact, but could steal a few of Andrew Nicholson’s minutes going forward. Jameer Nelson didn’t travel with the Magic for tonight’s game in Philadelphia, and could miss the whole week with his bruised left knee. E’Twaun Moore and Beno Udrih will pick up his minutes and production for as long as he’s out.

Bulls reserve big man Taj Gibson was diagnosed with a sprained MCL in his left knee and is expected to miss two weeks with the injury. If you own Joakim Noah or Carlos Boozer, this should mean good things for them going forward.

Steve "Dr. A" Alexander is the senior editor for the NBA for Rotoworld.com and a contributor to NBCSports.com. The 2014-15 NBA season marks his 13th year of covering fantasy hoops for Rotoworld. Follow him on Twitter - @Docktora.Email :Steve Alexander